The present invention relates to an apparatus for stacking flat articles, especially printed products such as newspapers, magazines and the like, and providing the stacks with individual cover sheets.
Apparatuses for stacking flat articles are generally known in a very wide range of embodiments. They often have a stacking well, either into which a feed device for inserting the articles to be stacked opens directly or above which a pre-stacking device is provided, in which a pre-stack is formed from articles which have been supplied, said pre-stack then being deposited into the stacking well, for example by opening an intermediate floor. The floor of the stacking well is usually formed by a plate or parallel carrying rails. In order to convey the formed stack out of the stacking well, an ejector is often provided which, as viewed in the ejection direction, comes to bear on the rear of the stack and can be moved through the stacking well. As it does so, it pushes the stack out of the stacking well, with the lowest product sliding on the well floor.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,565,130 discloses a stacking apparatus of this type. In addition, this patent discloses an apparatus for preparing and depositing a cover sheet in each case on each stack of articles produced. This apparatus has a cover sheet conveyor, which opens laterally into the stacking well at the top end of the latter. In the cover sheet conveyor, the cover sheets are conveyed in a guide gap by means of pairs of driven rollers and compressed-air streams. Mention is made of the fact that--if the cover sheet is intended to come to lie underneath the stack to be formed--the apparatus can be designed in such a way that the outlet opens into the stacking well at the bottom end of the latter.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus of the described type which is of simple construction.